ARCATA – Five players scored in double figures, led by Bree Halsey's 10 point, 15 rebound double-double, as the Humboldt State women's basketball team hammered the Otters of Cal State Monterey Bay 77-56 in the first round of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament on Tuesday.

The win improves the Jacks record to 17-10 on the season and they advance to the semi-finals on Friday.  CSUMB finishes their year at 18-9.

Box Score

“This time of year it is survive and advance,” head coach Joddie Gleason said, “so getting this win is huge in that respect, but to also get that monkey off our back.  I'm really proud of the girls.  In one day we tweaked some things based on what Monterey Bay does on defense.  We really executed well out of the double team, which is what they were focusing on.

“Bree (Halsey) really had a great game for us.   Not only hitting the boards, which she typically does, but by being an offensive threat and just being active.  I think it is one of her most complete efforts this year.  She was confident and back to the old Bree.  We tried to put her in a good situation, closer to the basket and she responded.”

CCAA first-team selections, Brittney Taylor and Andrea Bobic scored 19 and 13 points respectively.  Luiza Osborne pitched in 14 and Paige Peterson, a second-team honoree, added 13 points.

For the Otters, Michelle Santizo scored a team-high 16 points.   Julie Heurung and Veronica Williams had 14 and 11 points each.

The game started out as a 3-point shooting exhibition.  CSUMB made five-of-six three's in the first eight minutes and the Jacks sunk two-of four from behind the arc as the Otters jumped out to a 15-10 lead.

The Jacks then got a 3-pointer from Lisa Petty and a bucket from Halsey to tie the game at 15-15.  A Heurung jumper at 7:42 to play put the CSUMB back in front, but it would be the last lead the Otters would have.

HSU finished the half on a 15-6 run sparked by six points from Taylor and four from Halsey to take a 30-23 lead to the locker rooms.

The Lumberjacks outscored the Otters 10-0 in the paint, 11-1 off turnovers and 6-0 on second chance points.  Halsey had 10 boards and six points, Taylor was the high scorer with 13.

Cal State Monterey Bay opened the second half with an 8-to-2 run to cut the lead to one, 32-31 with 17:12 to go.  Heurung scored six of the Otters eight in the run.

The Jacks put the game away with a 16-to-0 run over the next three plus minutes.  Osborne hit two 3-pointers and Peterson added five as HSU took a 48-31 advantage with 13:26 to play.

The Otters cut the lead to eight on a Williams 3-pointer with 7:32 remaining.  The Jacks answered with an 11-to-3 run to push the advantage to 68-52 with 3:09 to go and won 77-56

For the game HSU out rebounded the Otters 37-to21, including 12-to-5 on the offensive glass and dished out 23 assists to eight for CSUMB.  Taylor led all players with eight.

“Team's continue to double-team Brittney (Taylor) and she still produces, but we were stagnant in some areas, so we worked on them yesterday and today,” Gleason said.   “I thought tonight she did a great job of finding the open player.”

The Jacks will face the No.1 seed UC San Diego on Friday at 3 p.m.